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UConn CLAS Alums Shine Among State’s Rising Stars

What do a Connecticut assistant attorney general, a local traffic reporter/talk show host, a brewery owner, and the president and CEO of a biotechnology startup have in common?

They’re among the nine young UConn alums named to Connecticut Magazine’s 2015 “40 Under 40” list, which honors the state’s “best and brightest among Generation Next.”

The diverse roster includes artists, community leaders, entertainers, farmers, philanthropists, and more. Four of the nine individuals named are alumnae of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

The named UConn alumni demonstrate “the caliber, depth, and breadth of what our alumni are doing out there,” says Montique Cotton Kelly, executive director of the UConn Alumni Association. “To have such representation across majors and disciplines is what UConn is all about. We couldn’t be more excited to see their names on this list.”

Nicole Wagner ’07 (CLAS), ’13 Ph.D.

Nicole Wagner ’07 (CLAS), ’13 Ph.D., 30, West Hartford

Scientist/CEO LambdaVision

On one end of the spectrum is Nicole Wagner ’07 (CLAS), ’13 Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow who completed both her undergraduate degree and Ph.D. at UConn. Wagner is the president and CEO of LambdaVision, a biotechnology company founded through the UConn Ventures fund that is developing a protein-based retinal implant to cure certain types of blindness.

While earning her B.S. in molecular and cell biology, Wagner worked in the lab of Professor of Chemistry Robert Birge, with whom she founded the company in 2009. When she first joined Birge’s lab, Wagner says, she planned to become a medical doctor.

“When I got involved in the lab, my passions changed,” she says. “I started really enjoying the research part of things. The retinal implant project was a great opportunity to blend my interests in medicine, vision, and research.”

The founding of the company, which is part of UConn’s Technology Incubation Program, has not only allowed Wagner to pursue her passions, but also given her an opportunity to be a leader and learn more about the business end, she says.

With the completion of a recent “proof-of-concept” experiment and two new grants from the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Health, Wagner and her team are advancing toward their goal of restoring vision to patients.

As for the “40 Under 40” nod, it’s icing on the cake.

“It’s certainly very exciting, definitely a big surprise to me,” Wagner says. “I’m honored to be on the list. It’s a good feeling for sure.”

Other UConn CLAS alumni who made the list include:

Teresa Dufour ’01 (CLAS).

Teresa (LaBarbera) Dufour ’01 (CLAS), 34, New Haven

Why she’s on the list: The vibrant Dufour is a daily double threat: After providing thousands of commuters across Southeastern Connecticut with the latest traffic updates on “Good Morning Connecticut” from 5 to 7 a.m., she switches gears and is back on the air at 12:30 p.m. with “Connecticut Style,” where she shares the better parts of Connecticut life, including fashion, health, beauty, and food.

Julie Meehan ’05 (HDFS).

Julie Daly Meehan ’05 (HDFS), 31, Hartford

Why she’s on the list: Meehan works for the MetroHartford Alliance, which is the leading business and economic development organization in Connecticut’s capital region. Meehan is also executive director of the Hartford Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs group. In 2014 Meehan was promoted, via the addition of a second role, and is now responsible for developing social media strategies to strengthen all the MetroHartford Alliance initiatives, including the Connecticut Health Council and the Connecticut Insurance and Financial Services Cluster.

Kate Lindsay ’05 (CLAS), ’08 JD.

Kate Lindsay ’05 (CLAS), ’08 JD, 36, Hartford

Attorney

Why she’s on the list: In addition to her caseload as an attorney with Bracewell & Giuliani, Lindsay has taken on pro bono work and worked with survivors of domestic violence. The lifelong state resident and UConn grad has also been a part of clinics to provide legal services to the homeless of Hartford, as well as efforts for fair housing and immigration.

Join us for a talk by Gina Barreca,2018 UCONN BOARD OF TRUSTEESDISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH

All great works of fiction, poetry and dramaâas well as texts forming mythologies, religions, national epics to heroic sagasâhave loneliness at the heart of their narrative. From Persephone to Peter Pan, from âFrankensteinâ to âFrozen,â the stories we pass along are saturated with unwilling isolation.âOnly around half of Americans say they have meaningful, daily face-to-face social interactions,â according to a 2017 study. A former U.S. Surgeon General argues that âWe live in the most technologically connected age in the history of civilization, yet rates of loneliness have doubled since the 1980s.â We need more than social media. We need social contact. We need community. How can we break through the loneliness barrier? Being alone when in need of companionship is more than sad; itâs an epidemic.Chronic loneliness is as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes per day. We need to change our national story and, often, our personal ones as well.Even the concept of the âlone wolfâ is a myth. Wolves hunt in packs.

Reception to follow.

For more information about this event, or if you are an individual who requires special accommodation to participate, please contact the CLAS Deanâs Office at (860) 486-2713.

A liberal arts and sciences degree prepares students with the tools they need to excel across a wide range of careers. Given the number of options available to you, it can be overwhelming to narrow down career choices. Attending CLAS Career Night will provide you exposure to career opportunities for CLAS students.

This semesterâs focus will be on research-based careers. During this event you will engage with CLAS alumni, learn about various occupations, and gain insight about how to best prepare for your future career.

The McNair Scholars Program and the Office of Undergraduate Research invite you to join us for a brown bag research seminar.

Birds, Bacteria, and Bioinformatics: Why Evolutionary Biology is the Best

Sarah Hird, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Molecular and Cell Biology

This series is open to all undergraduate and graduate students, and is designed especially for students conducting (or interested in conducting) STEM research. These seminars are opportunities to learn about research being pursued around campus, to talk with faculty about their path into research, and to ask questions about getting involved in research.

About CLAS

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is the academic core of learning and research at UConn. We are committed to the full spectrum of academics across the sciences, social sciences, and humanities. We give students a liberal arts and sciences education that empowers them with broad knowledge, transferable skills, and an ability to think critically about important issues across a variety of disciplines.